Orlando to Miami: Train, Bus, Flight or Car

Distance: Orlando to Miami by car, train, bus and plane

Miami is about 250 miles south of Orlando, according to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. That is the road distance, and it is why the trip is hard to do in one day and come back.

Four ways cover it: the Brightline train, a bus, a flight and your own car. Brightline, buses and the airport all belong to public transport in Orlando, which has the local options once you arrive.

Key Takeaway Brightline takes about 3 hours, a car 4 to 5, and a plane about 1 hour in the air, so the train is the quickest way to cover the 250 miles on the ground.

Travel time: Brightline vs bus vs flight vs car

Brightline is the fastest way to travel on the ground. The Miami tourism bureau puts it at about 3 hours, against about 6 hours by Amtrak.

By car, you can drive from Orlando to Miami in 4 or 5 hours. That depends on how often you stop for gas, food or bathroom breaks. Traffic can add more.

An intercity bus from Orlando to Miami takes roughly 4 to 7 hours. FlixBus's own route page lists the fastest trip at 4 hours 15 minutes, with 12 rides a day and fares from $30.98. That is a starting price, so the fare for your date can be higher; check the operator's page before you book. For comparison, Brightline's seat starts at $27.

Yes, there is a direct flight from Orlando to Miami: Orlando International Airport lists Miami (MIA) among its nonstop U.S. destinations, served by American and Southwest. The plane is in the air for about an hour. No official page used here gives a flight fare, so check the airline's page for your date. Add the time to reach the airport, check in and collect your bags, and the day shrinks less than the number suggests.

Start and finish points: Brightline vs bus vs flight vs car

Brightline starts at the Orlando station at Orlando International Airport (MCO). The station is open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to the airport's Brightline page. The train also stops in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Aventura before Miami.

A flight goes from MCO to Miami's airport. A car goes door to door, so you choose the start and the finish yourself.

Bus stops depend on the company, so check the operator's page for the pickup point before you book. One listing on this site runs the other way. The Miami to Orlando theme park bus day leaves from Miami and Fort Lauderdale and goes to the Orlando parks, from €28 per person. It costs from €28 per person, so it is the cheapest listed option here. It has a 3.2 rating from 41 reviews, and its page says it is not suitable for people with back or heart problems. It helps if you live in Miami, not if you start in Orlando.

Price: Brightline vs bus vs flight vs car

Brightline prices run from $27 for seats to $640 for private rooms, according to the Miami tourism bureau. Prices change by date, so check Brightline before you plan around the low end.

For one person, the lowest published starting prices are Brightline's $27 seat and FlixBus's $30.98 bus fare, so one of those two is likely the cheapest. No official page publishes a flight fare, and all three prices change by date, so look at each operator's own site for your day before you decide. The fastest on the ground is Brightline at about 3 hours, and the fastest overall is the flight at about 1 hour in the air. A car costs gas and any tolls, and it makes the most sense when you share it with others. No official page used here gives a trip total for tolls, a fuel cost or a Miami parking price, so budget for all three: Florida's Turnpike publishes toll rates by plaza on its own site, and your hotel can tell you its parking rate.

Pro Tip Compare Brightline's seat price for your date with a bus and a flight, and add the airport transfer to the flight before you decide.

Who each suits: Brightline vs bus vs flight vs car

Pick Brightline if you want the shortest ground trip and no driving. Pick the car if you carry a lot, travel in a group or want to stop on the way. Pick a bus if you want to skip the driving and your dates are flexible.

Pick a flight if you only care about time in the air. Pick none of these if your goal is a single day out, because 4 to 5 hours each way means 8 to 10 hours on the road.

Every way from Orlando to Miami trades time against price and freedom.

Skip Miami for a day: one day trip from Orlando

No guided Miami trip from Orlando is sold on the site's partner platform. Only 1 of the 130 Orlando listings in the site's GetYourGuide count, read on 25 October 2026, connects Orlando and Miami, and it runs from Miami to the Orlando parks.

If Miami is too far for one day, a shorter outing works better. One day trip from Orlando can fill the day without 8 to 10 hours on the road.

For wildlife, the Everglades airboat ride and wildlife park ticket is in Central Florida, not in Everglades National Park. The ride is 30 minutes to 1 hour, from €32 per person, with a 4.7 rating from 1,806 reviews. It is run by Wild Florida Airboat Tours with free cancellation. You meet at Wild Florida Airboats & Gator Park, 3301 Lake Cypress Rd, Kenansville, FL 34739. The price includes the airboat tour, a guide, wildlife park admission and a live alligator demonstration; gratuities and photos holding a live alligator are not included, and the listing does not state a group size.

For a full day with pickup, the Kennedy Space Center full-day tour with airboat ride runs 10 hours and includes round-trip transport from meeting points in Orlando, Kissimmee, Disney and Lake Buena Vista. It is from €201 per person, with a 4.5 rating from 91 reviews, hotel pickup, food, drinks, souvenirs and tips are not included, and no group size is listed. Gray Line of Orlando - Gator Tours runs it, with free cancellation. Doing it yourself saves money but not time, and this tour wins if you do not want to drive.